Pennsylvania State Champion Trees at the Arboretum
46 Chinese money maple (Dipteronia sinensis)
A tree of the maple family endemic to mainland China, and a threatened species in its natural habitats as per
the IUCN Red List. It is prized for its foliage—pinnately compound leaves exquisitely toothed and laid-out with
telling points, and the seeds with double wings—especially when purplish-red in late summer.
106 Chinese fringe tree
(Chionanthus retusus)
From the olive family, native to eastern Asia: eastern and central China, Korea, and Japan. It is hard to think of
a more beautiful, 20-foot tree than a Chinese fringe in full bloom.
140 Monkey puzzle tree
(Araucaria araucana)
Native to central and southern Chile, western Argentina, and southern Brazil, and the national tree of Chile.
This is a popular garden tree, planted for the unusual effect of its thick, “reptilian,” symmetrical branches.
161 Water oak (Quercus nigra)
Native to the southeastern United States, this tree is usually identified by the leaves, which have a lobe
resembles a drop of water hanging from the end of the leaf. Water oak is particularly suited for timber, fuel,
wildlife habitat, and environmental forestry.
202 Lacebark pine (Pinus bungeana)
Native to northeastern and central China. The dark-green needles in bundles of three, small yellowish-brown
cones, and signature bark give this pine year-round ornamental interest.
213 Coastal redwood (Sequoia sempervirens)
The sole living species of the genus Sequoia in the cypress family. Endemic to coastal California and Oregon,
redwoods are the most valuable species in the lumbering industry. Redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens and
Sequoiadendron giganteum) are the state tree of California.
356 Limber pine (Pinus flexilis)
Occurs in the mountains of the western United States, Mexico, and Canada. Its common name is a reference
to the flexible (limber) branchlets/twigs.
357 Spanish fir (Abies pinsapo)
Native to southern Spain and northern Morocco, it is considered the Andalusian national tree, being native to
the Andalusian mountains. It is endangered in its natural habitat according to the IUCN Red List.
376 Sweetbay magnolia
(Magnolia virginiana var. australis)
Commonly found in South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida, and often grown as an ornamental
landscape tree for its attractive foliage, flowers, and fruit. It was the first magnolia to be scientifically described
under the modern rules of botanical nomenclature, and is the type species of the genus Magnolia.
386 Japanese clethra (Clethra barbinervis)
A plant for all seasons, boasting fragrant midsummer blossoms, yellow-orange to red fall foliage, and
exfoliating bark in winter.
604 Lavalle’s cork-tree (Phellodendron lavallei)
Belonging to Rutaceae and native to Japan, this is a tree for all seasons. The mature gray-brown bark is
decorative, with ridges and furrows in a cork-like pattern.
616 Japanese horse chestnut (Aesculus turbinata)
Native to mainland Japan, it was introduced to North America in the late 19th century; a truly spectacular
specimen tree.
619 Red buckeye (Aesculus pavia)
Native to the United States, red buckeye is named for the color of the flowers and the similarity of the seed to
a deer or buck's eye. Red buckeye is protected in Kentucky; it is listed as threatened on the state's
Endangered, Threatened, and Species of Concern plants list monitored by the Kentucky State Nature
Preserves Commission.
629 Hardy rubber tree (Eucommia ulmoides)
Native to China, it is near threatened in the wild, but is cultivated in China because of its high value in
traditional Chinese medicine. This species is sometimes known as the "hardy rubber tree” or "Chinese rubber
tree," being the only cold-tolerant (to at least -30°C) rubber-producing tree.
633 Japanese mountain ash (Sorbus commixta)
Native to Japan, far-east Russia on Sakhalin, and in Korea on the island of Ulleungdo; it is an ornamental tree
in Europe and North America.
637 Wild service tree (Sorbus torminalis)
Native to Europe and Asia Minor; also known as the chequer/checker(s) tree. The fruits, sometimes called
chequers, are edible, and were used to flavor beer before the introduction of hops.
692 Sawtooth stewartia
(Stewartia serrata)
Native to central China, it can be recognized by its petals, which flush red around the outside near the base,
as well as by its completely glabrous ovaries. It is perhaps the least-frequently encountered Stewartia in
American gardens.
694 Nikko maple (Acer maximowiczianum)
Widely distributed in China and Japan. This is a trifoliate maple, related to such other species as three flower
maple (Acer triflorum) and paper bark maple (Acer griseum), but with dark-gray-to-blackish bark dissimilar to
the exfoliating bark of its relatives.